The Reading Room – Mere Anarchy by Rebelcat

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

The story for this Reading Room is

Mere Anarchy by Rebelcat.

And you can find it here:
http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/16/mereanarchy.html
http://hatstand.slashcity.net/rebel/anarchy.html
http://myrebelcat.livejournal.com/2357.html#cutid2

We will now close this post for further answers.
Please answer in the second post! And please copy and past the part of the comment you're replying to, if it's from this first post.
Thank you!
Mere Anarchy / part 2:

community.livejournal.com/ci5hq/82398.html

Why I like this story?

I think it got me from the start! We are thrown into a session with Dr.Ross and Bodie. And it's clear that Ross doesn't stand a chance to reach Bodie deep inside. He even scares her: "This man was a professional killer, and he had dropped the charming mask he habitually wore in a deliberate attempt to frighten her."
Huh! Yes! That’s the way I like him! He’s snappy, sarcastic and witty, even in THAT situation!

Well - the situation...
Bodie and Doyle live in a sort of ‘un-established relationship’. Which means that everything is new, insecure and easy to destroy.
At this moment something terrible happens and they have to deal with it – and esp.Doyle isn’t sure how their fresh love affair could survive this.

During the story we learn what has happened to Bodie – and I think in a very thrilling way – through some flashbacks of Doyle.
And what I really love in this part of the story is the characterisation of Doyle. He’s very well aware that he failed when he found Bodie, and he absolutely doesn’t know how to help his friend now after he has left hospital. Doyle is doing some kind of switching between caring for Bodie and respecting his maleness...
IMO this insecurity is a very strong part of the story, because it is human and also authentic for such a situation (although there is a big difference to the ‘weak, crying Doyle’ of some other stories!!!).
"At that time, Doyle had believed he could help Bodie more by catching the man who'd hurt him."
"Terribly eager to hand him over to the nurses, weren't you?"
And in the end Doyle is ‘just doing the right thing’, - he’s there for Bodie!
Bodie doesn’t need someone who tells him how he has to feel and what he has to do.

The next part is – let’s say Cowley’s way to comfort Bodie. Cowley expects more from him than ever before (I think). Bodie is supposed to interrogate one of his tormentors… I think Cowley is a bastard!  – but he is right! That’s exactly what Bodie needs for his hurt soul! 
"Well, Bodie certainly wasn't going to have to worry about his reputation as a hard man."

As Bodie meets Ross again she is surprised how he has changed.

I just can say: Who needs a Dr.Ross if he can have Doyle? 


^^
So... Have fun! (I hope so!)


Oh… I’m sorry for those who reject rape stories. I’m no fan of them either. But in this story there is no explicit description of the rape, the story is more about the damages and the way out - so it works for me.

Author: Rebelcat
Title: Mere Anarchy
Pairing: Bodie/Doyle
Length: 81K
Author on LJ: myrebelcat
Warnings: rape

Please answer in the second part: community.livejournal.com/ci5hq/82398.html

Comments

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

I've just printed it off to read, and haven't got far enough through it for anything like a proper comment, but I just wanted to say that the opening scene is very strong. Well-drawn conflict between Bodie and Dr Ross; both are perfectly in-character imo, and the back-story comes through without the need for clunky exposition.

Will post more when I've read more!

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Enjoy it! :-)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

without the need for clunky exposition
Yes! That was one of the things I like best about this story - there's no big chunk where we're told "A week ago, Bodie had been..." etc etc! Instead Rebel lets us find out what happened through the character's actions, so that we're not reading a story, so to speak, we're there with them, watching a chunk out of their lives rather than having it explained to us. It makes the story so much more immediate and engaging I think, when writers manage to do this - and it's a measure of the author's skill, I think, because it's so much easier to pull the reader out for a minute and say "Look, this is what happened that I can't be bothered showing you..."

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

I totally agree! I think last weeks story "Labyrinth" lost me because the 'real story' and the dreamworld doesn't belong together(for me). If the story would have begun with the 'dreamworld' and maybe in flashbacks (like here) the author would have told us how it all happened - I think I would have liked it... Maybe...
But sorry - I'm in a hurry, work calls - later in the evening I'll answer to your other post.

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

First things, first........thanks very much for this rec and for your views on it. I’ve just finished reading it so I’m sort of writing as I think or thinking as I write........I’m not sure I’ve reached any conclusions about it yet but so far I thought it was well written; I thought her characterisations were excellent - as you say ‘authentic’ - and that they were that rare thing in fic, equals. And yes, I agree with what you say re Doyle:

Doyle is doing some kind of switching between caring for Bodie and respecting his maleness

though for some reason as I read the story I really wasn’t thinking about Doyle’s role in this at all, but your point is an interesting one and it made me think about his part in the story and I agree with you…which leads me on to what I *was* thinking about and, not surprisingly, I've got to admit that it was Bodie. I thought she had his characterisation perfectly drawn: his levity and ability to poke fun at himself and the counter to that, his own, homemade principles, his depth and the ability to kill without batting an eyelid. And I think she had some really wonderful lines relating to him:

He'd put a round through a hostage, if he thought it was his only chance at taking down the hostage taker.

"Civilization is over-rated."

That's my Bodie! But as I progressed through the story I was puzzled by the fact that although I really like Bodie and felt he’d been through a hellish experience, despite this I didn’t feel *for* him, for what he'd undergone and I’m wondering why was that? (Except in this excellent scene, Something cracked inside of Bodie. How much more did Doyle want from him? Turning, he said, "I wanted them to leave him alone!") I suppose part of the reason was because Bodie didn’t feel sorry for himself? The writer’s expertise is such that I’m sure she could have pulled at my heartstrings if she’d wanted to but I felt her action was deliberate and she just didn’t choose to because it was always about them and the how and the why of their relationship and why it had become physical. So...I'm still not sure it moved me as much as I liked to be moved but I enjoyed it, it was interesting, very readable, unfolded at a good pace, I felt she'd got her Bodie and Doyle 'just right' and I think it's the kind of story I'd enjoy even more on a second reading.

Thanks for the rec!

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Uhm... Does it sound as if my focus was on Doyle? You know it's always Bodie! But Doyle was damn good for him in the story - so I had to savour it!

I agree - Bodie is just HIM!
But that you "can't feel *for* him" because he didn't feel sorry for himself" - hmmmmmmmmmm.....
That would be for me one more reason to feel pity for him, because he 'always has to be strong'.
The poor boy! Well, I was very moved! ;-)

Thanks for commenting!!!

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

No, it didn't sound as if your focus was on Doyle but you mentioned him early on in your analysis and it was an interesting, valid point, which made me feel guilty for not thinking that much about him at least in the early part of the story.

But that you "can't feel *for* him" because he didn't feel sorry for himself

I didn't say I 'can't' feel for him, but that I 'didn't' feel for him - slight difference - believe me I *wanted* to but something just failed to move me! And I was suggesting that perhaps the absence of self-pity on his part was influencing me, that he was making light of his situation to the extent that I, the reader, also 'bought' the act. Which I think is clever writing. And I think you're right in that normally the lack of self-pity would be one more reason to feel for him because usually it's self-pitying people I normally don't feel for because they're doing the pitying for you, so I *should* have felt more for Bodie.....that's what's so strange - his plight failed to move me as I think it should have done.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I liked the story a lot. I can read rape on occasion (never partner rape!!!) so this one was fine. As you said, the rape itself is done off screen. The description of how Doyle finds Bodie almost had me crying.

I also liked Cowley in this. He did know what to do and he was right. I think that Cowley is very insightful, in spite of the fact that he can toss either or both of them under the bus if need be.

Really good. I'd rec it even for those who generally don't like rape stories. Give it a try.

And after reading shooting2kill's remarks below, I have to agree. I didn't feel sorry for Bodie because he was strong in spite of what had happened to him. To the point where he says it could happen again.

Thanks for the rec. Hadn't read this one before.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Well that's a perfect view on Cowley: "I think that Cowley is very insightful, in spite of the fact that he can toss either or both of them under the bus if need be." Very good! A summary of his role in all the 57 episodes - and in this story!

(never partner rape!!!)
And that's strange, but 'B/D partner rape' isn't too bad for me, maybe because there is always in my mind - "they do it for love, they will end anyway as lovers"(on the contrary to real violence in marriage, which never ends well...).

But to 'rec this story for those who generally don't like rape stories.' I don't know... I don't read death fics - and I can't imagine that anyone could convince me...

And you too didn't feel sorry for Bodie because he is so strong? But what is for example with this scene: "...but he knew a man on the edge of a breakdown when he saw one."(the scene is after Bodie tries to leave to kill Burgess)? Bodie at the edge of a breakdown! He just can't show his feelings!

Thanks for your thoughts!

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Given the men here, they weren't supposed to show emotions. I think that we've seen that in many episodes. Of course, I felt sorry for what happened to him. He did need help getting through this ordeal, but he was strong. I didn't feel pity like he was some poor whiny creature. He came out stronger in spite of the awful circumstances.

(never partner rape!!!)
And that's strange, but 'B/D partner rape' isn't too bad for me, maybe because there is always in my mind - "they do it for love, they will end anyway as lovers"(on the contrary to real violence in marriage, which never ends well...).

I'm totally confused by your thought here. How can anybody rape another person for love? Rape is never for love, only violence and domination. *shudder* I sure hope nobody ever "loves" me enough to rape me. Are you saying because it's fiction, it's okay? That doesn't make sense to me at all! I could never condone violence in a relationship, make-believe or not. I don't want them together after one rapes the other. In fact, I don't see how the victim wouldn't put a bullet in his partner's head. I just can't believe either would accept that sort of treatment from the other. Call me stupid, I suppose.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

A good story with lots of UST and knowing that they’ve been/are going to be together carrying them (and us)through the problems. All the time I felt reassured that they would be together as partners however their sexual relationship was resolved.

I have no problem with rape in fics in a fandom where violence and crime are part of the canon but I assume some people would want to be warned off? (I’m much less happy with rape in a fandom that has nothing to do with law enforcement e.g. Harry Potter). I like the way ‘crime’ series enable us to confront feelings about crimes such as rape and of course it would be unrealistic if the subject was never raised. I thought the reactions of both Bodie and Doyle were believable, and I liked the little look into Ross’s reactions, too. Then there were the others, typified by Murphy. And one of the rapists, at the end.

The occasional Americanisms e.g. ‘off of’ really threw me - which means, I think, that she got the language very right most of the time. I could hear them inmy head. Cowley, too.

I liked the way the story was almost totally about sexual relationships but had no sex in it. That was unusual and showed good control and understanding by the author.

Someone mentioned not feeling sorry for Bodie. I did, on a purely physical level - being terrified about the next bowel movement isn’t fun (ask anyone who’s had stitches after childbirth)! But I felt sorrier for Doyle, who didn’t know what to do.

I hadn’t read this particular story before though I had read and liked some of the author’s other pieces. Altogether satisfactory and well-written. An interesting rec!

(I’m about to go away and might not be around after tomorrow to answer any comments so you can either ignore me or risk being apparently ignored yourselves! I just wanted to join in with my opinion!)

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Well after all Bodie and Doyle have just gone through, I think I can take the risk to be ignored... ;-)
Occasional Americanisms? I'm lucky that I wouldn't remark it... (but I know what you mean - I wouldn't like it if in a story about Hamburg there would be some Bavarian idioms!).

And I know that some people don't like rape stories, as much as I never would read a death fic! It's maybe not always easy to explain, but you can't change it.

"being terrified about the next bowel movement isn’t fun..." That's something I really appreciate in Pros, and also in this story, that such intimacies are often mentioned. No super heros, but real men...

Thanks for your opinion!

[lukadreaming.livejournal.com]

It was a while since I'd read the story, but it stood up very well to re-reading. It's a very powerful story, and that first scene totally grabs you. What worked for me was that the writer had really nailed the lads -- I could totally 'hear' them (some Americanisms such as "I could use . . ." notwithstanding). She'd also made Cowley believable, and I often think he's a tricky character go get right.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"and that first scene totally grabs you." Yes I was caught right from the beginning! Certainly because we all see Dr.Ross before our eyes... :-)
And 'powerful' is a good word for it!

Thanks for commenting!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

As with death fic, I almost never read rape stories (I'm not being in the least judgemental here, it's just not my thing personally). So, first of all, thanks for suggesting this one, because I might not have read it otherwise, and I'm glad I did.

I enjoyed the blokiness of their reactions; they both coped with the situation in totally believable ways - Bodie in denial, Doyle not knowing how to help, how to put it right. And that feeling of nothing ever being the same again that gradually eased as the story progressed and they gradually pulled themselves and each other back together.

I also like their toughness all the way through - there's never any feeling that either of them is about to do the bushbaby clinging thing... I like the lads rough and tough *g* There's only one moment where it doesn't ring true for me - when Doyle suddenly announces that Bodie needs a cuddle. That kind of made my brain spin a bit. *g*

It felt as though Bodie was orbiting Doyle the whole way through the story, pulling away from him, but then being pulled back, especially towards the end in the hallway outside the interrogation room - I loved Doyle standing still, waiting for Bodie to come closer again, confident that he would.

Thanks again for the rec and encouraging me to read something I might otherwise have passed over.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're much tougher than I am when you read something you fear don't want to...

But I'm glad you liked the story!!!
"I like the lads rough and tough..."
Yes! Me too! I don't know if it's the English way - but the way for example Starsky and Hutch act is much too - what did you say: "a bushbaby clinging thing..."! :-)

And the cuddle... Well why not? Sex isn't possible, so why not? And it's IMO just a metaphor for "being there for each other". No it doesn't disturb me. But I'll read that passage again.

Thank you!

[alicambs.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec, I've not read this story before and I found my interest engaged from the first paragraph - always a good sign.

The way Bodie handled the situation rang so very true. I felt that Bodie and Doyle were very much in character. While feeling angry (not pity since Bodie neither wanted it nor needed it) on Bodie's behalf, I also felt strongly for Doyle trying not to walk on egg shells with him and somehow managing to get it almost right! Cowley was his magnificent self while Ross' thoughts were a great way of focusing the story and providing a more objective view of Bodie. The B/D element was beautifully and subtly done and I loved the ending.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"to walk on eggshells..."
:-) I was looking for such a phrase but couldn't find it. That's exactly my thought about Doyle.
But that you all don't feel pity for Bodie...

Of course you are right - he is strong! But...

Thanks!

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much for reccing this week, and for your post this evening.

Just briefly (for now at least), I really like the economy of Rebelcat's style, it's terse and fast-paced like the eps, and this among other things makes it feel very canon.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

No, thank YOU for your fantastic idea to revive common recs! It's fun to see different points of views!

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

Very sweet -- some nice touches. Thanks for sharing it!

It's a dramatic opening, and I like that. Good place to begin the story.

It quickly gets expositiony for my tastes. The scene with Ross, for example, where she's writing down the obvious..."minimizing impact of trauma," etc. That continues throughout.

"It was an old routine, one with which they were both far too familiar." (And with which the fan fic reader is familiar too, and needn't be explained.)

And it's all just a little bit over the top. The drama of "I was raped. Can't you say it?" His expression was challenging, and deadly. "Raped."

The entire thing seems more of an attempt at understatement than really being understated, if you see what I mean?

I thought dialog was one of her strengths...it seemed like the way they might say stuff even if I could never picture them saying those actual lines. And there were a couple of instances of good banter -- I always like that.

The emotional core is off (IMO). This is going to sound strange, but I see Bodie as more of a ruthless pragmatist about getting shot or raped or beaten or...betrayed by Cowley even. So I found both his reaction and the reaction of everyone else melodramatic and oversensitive. I could more easily believe in a Bodie seeking revenge for Doyle or Cowley's abuse than his own. I just didn't buy it. And everyone else's concern and preoccupation with the rape seemed maybe a bit...anachronistic?

By the way, I think this premise was done well in one of Ellis Ward's stories -- and I can't remember the name of it now, but I just read it. But what I do really like here -- and Ward did this also -- is the fact that she tried to explore how the rape affects the other half of the team, although here I think it could have been handled more effectively by telling us less and showing us more.

All in all, very sweet! Now I'm going to read all the comments and enjoy the discussion.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Then there is not much left you like? ;-)

"but I see Bodie as more of a ruthless pragmatist about getting shot or raped or beaten or...betrayed by Cowley even."
If I would see Bodie as a stoic I would definitely not like him! Maybe earlier as a soldier he has learned to burry all feelings but being a "ruthless pragmatist" is going much too far if you were raped...

"where she's writing down the obvious..."minimizing impact of trauma,"
I can't see that! I don't think that anybody here around would see the session through the eyes of the psychiatrist. That "minimizing impact of trauma" rather transports the reader to the outside of the scene. I like the changing between that distance and Bodies effort to protect his walls.

Anyway interesting thoughts!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

And it's all just a little bit over the top. The drama of "I was raped. Can't you say it?" His expression was challenging, and deadly. "Raped."
Isn't that kind of the point, from Kate Ross' point of view?

I could more easily believe in a Bodie seeking revenge for Doyle or Cowley's abuse than his own.
Oh I can totally see him wanting revenge, no matter how pragmatic he is about it being one of the risks of his job.

And everyone else's concern and preoccupation with the rape seemed maybe a bit...anachronistic?
I didn't read them as being "preoccupied" with the rape - concerned yes, but I'd expect some level of that. Surely people can only ever be so pragmatic about a vicious attack where someone is tied down and gang-raped, no matter what their job... Could you maybe explain a little more where you felt they were being - what, too concerned/preoccupied?

New thread please!

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

Any chance of a a new thread please? I'm feeling a dizzy spell fast approaching....

Re: New thread please!

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

All quite on Pros land... everything will be fine... take a deep breath... we all love you...
what do you mean with 'new thread'???